Collapsible reel



March 27, 1956 R Q MERCE 2,739,765

COLLAPSIBLE REEL Filed Aug. 17, 1953 BY@ y /A may gig COLLAPSMLE REEL Robert C. Pierce, Niles, Mich., assigner to National- Standard Company, a corporation of Delaware Application August 17, 1953, Serial No. 374,499

6 Claims. (Cl. 242-124) My present invention concerns reel constructions and more particularly a new and improved construction for a collapsible reel, particularly arranged and adapted for use as a let-olf reel for wire and like materials.

By present practice, cable, wire, strapping material, etc. are shipped or transported in the form of annular coils from their place of manufacture to the consumer as opposed to past practice wherein such coils of wire were shipped mounted on a supporting reel made of wood or similar material. The expense of returning the empty reels to the wire maker after its consumption by `the user led to uneconomical operation giving rise to the design and perfection of master reels for the coils which are retained by the consumer and reused to support additional coils of wire. One of the major problems in supporting such annular wire coils by a master supporting reel is encountered in the provision of sufficient tensioning or pressure on the ends of the reel to prevent kno-tting of the wire as it is withdrawn or laid off of the coil. Generally speaking, attempts of others in this eld have resorted in elaborate spring systems for placing tension on the ends of the wire coil by forcing end plates of the reel axially toward one another; the wire coil being placed on a drum between such end plates. It is to this same general problem that the improved let-off reel of my present invention is directed.

It is believed that from the description of the improved device of my invention which follows its many advantages and features will be recognized readily and that its intents and purposes as outlined in the following listed objects will be appreciated.

The main object of my invention is to provide a new and improved collapsible let-olf reel which employs pneumatic or hydraulic means for placing endwise compresision on transportable coils of wire as they are supported on the reel.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved reel construction embodying simplified means for placing constant endwise pressures upon wire coils supported on the reel thereby to prevent knotting and snarling of the wire as the same is let-olf of the reel drum.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved collapsible let-off reel for supporting coils of wire, cable and the like which embodies certain improved and simplified features of construction which bring about a more eicient and reliable operation of the reel than has been heretofore experienced with presently known reels of this general class.

The above and further objects, features and advantages of my invention will be recognized by those familiar with this art from the description of its features as hereinafter set forth and with particular reference to the accompanying drawing.

in the drawing:

Figure l is a partial end elevational View of the reel of my invention with parts therein broken away to 2,739,765 Patented Mar. 27, 1956 demonstrate details of construction and particularly the features of the end plates for my collapsible reel; and

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 2 2 of Figure 1 to illustrate the arrangement of its several elements and their embodiment in a workable organization.

Turning now to the drawings, it will be seen that the improved collapsible reel 0f my invention, indicated generally by numeral 10, comprises a pair of circular, metal reinforced wooden end plates 11 and 12, both similar in nature and design and arranged to be mounted in parallel spaced relation coaxially of a hub assembly, indicated generally at 13. Such end plates each have a plurality of radially disposed slotted openings 14, 14 extending inwardly of the plates periphery for strapping a wire coil and further such are fitted with a continuous metal edge beading or tread 15 which promotes strength and durability.

The hub assembly 13 which supports the end plates 11 and 12 of my reel, comprises a tubular hub spindle 17 having a liange member 18 secured at one end thereof. Mounted over the end of spindle 17 opposite flange member 18 is a cylindrical hub collar 19 having screw threads 26) at its outer end. Hub collar i9 also has a flanged portion 21 to which a pin means 22 is fastened and extends between such flange and end plate l1 to prevent relative rotation between these parts. Pin 22 also acts as a convenient means for locating the end plate 1l in registration with end plate 12 so as to align the strapping slots 14 thereof. End plate 12 is affixed to the flange 18 of the hub spindle as by machine screws 23, 2.3 while the other end plate 11 is litted coaxially of and radially about the sliding hub collar 19, intermediate the flanged portion 21 thereon and a lock nut 24 which engages with threads 20.

The hub spindle 13 further supports and is rigidly adjoined by set screws 27, 27 to a hub spider 23 having radially extending arm members 29 and a central cylindrical core portion 30. The hub spider further is provided with an enlarged circular or annular wall 31 at its one end (lower end as seen in Figure 2) which is lixed transversely to the separated arms 29 of the spider. Arms 29 are further cut away as at 32%, to permit clearance of the hub collar flange 21.

Fixed at one end to the hub collars flange portion 21 by means of pins 36 are three rod members 35, 35 which are disposed in symmetrically spaced array radially outward of the hub spindle 17 and the cylindrical core portion 3i) of the hub spider. Rods 35 also prevent rotation of collar 19 on spindle 17, but permit sliding movement of the collar relative to the spindle and vice versa. Such rods 35 invade or pass through the wall 31 of the hub spider via openings 37, 37 formed for such purpose. The other or unpinned end of each of the rod members is suitably threaded for receiving a lock nut 38 and further each rod is recessed suitably for receiving an annular snap ring 39.

It will be seen that a metal bearing plate 40, formed as an annular disc, is mounted over the threaded ends of the three rod members 35' and locked thereto between the lock nuts 38 and the snap rings 39. Such bearing plate is moveable on spindle 17 and is spaced in parallelism with the annular wall portion 3l of the hub spider so as to provide an annular space 41 between such two members. Mounted intermediate end plate l2 and the bearing plate 40, coaxially and concentrically of the hub spindle 17 is a compression coil spring member 42 which serves as a resilient means for normally biasing the annular bearing plate and end plate 12 apart.

From the above arrangement of elements and their description, it will be appreciated that end plate 11 is loosely arranged about the hub collar member 19, but I 4. In a reel assembly of the class described, the com bnation comprising, a tubular spindle member, a planar end plate member secured to one end of said spindle member, a collar member slidingly mounted concentrically and coaxially on said spindle member and at the other end thereof, thread means formed on the exterior of said collar member, a second end plate member removably mounted on said collar member, the planes of the two end plate members being parallel, removable nut means locking said second end plate onto said collar member, a spider member mounted on said spindle member and intermediate said two end plate members, fastening means fixing said spider member to said spindle member, arm members formed integrally with and extending radially outward of said spindle member for supporting an annular coil of wire, a planar wall portion formed at one end of said arm members and disposed in spaced parallelism with and intermediate said two end plate members, an annular bearing plate mounted in spaced parallelism with said wall, means interconnecting said bearing plate with said collar member, said bearing plate being slidable relative to said spindle member, and an inatable rubber annular tube mounted intermediate said bearing plate and wall and arranged when inated to bias said two end plate members toward one another by forcing said spider and bearing plate apart thus to grip the coil of wire at its ends.

5. A reel assembly for supporting coils of wire and the like, comprising, an axial spindle, a pair of end plates, one txedly attached to one end of said spindle and the other slidably attached to the opposite end of said spindle, a bearing plate means slidably mounted on said spindle in spaced parallelism to and between said two end plates, means attaching said bearing plate means to said other end plate for sliding movement therewith, a spider member dening a core support for a coil of wire, said spider member being affixed to said spindle and located between said bearing plate means and said other end plate, a planar wall member formed at one end of said spider and disposed in spaced parallelism adjacent to said bearing plate means, and an inatable annulus mounted between said bearing plate means and the said wall member of said spider, the arrangement being such that inflation of such annulus serves to separate said spider and bearing plate means and simultaneously pull said end plates toward one another to place a coil of wire supported therebetween under endwise compression, which compression persists throughout the unlaying of the wire coil.

6. A reel assembly of the class described, comprising, a spindle member, a hub collar slidingly mounted over one end of said vspindle member, a first circular end plate affixed transversely to the other end of said spindle member, a second end plate member removably mounted concentrically about said hub collar, a circular bearing plate, slidingly mounted on said spindle between said end plates, rod members fixing said bearing plate in spaced parallelism to said second end plate, a spider member having radially extending spaced arms mounted on said spindle between said bearing plate and hub collar, said spider being fixedly attached to said spindle and movable therewith relative to said hub collar and bearing plate; the radial extent of said arms thereof dening support means for a cylindrical coil of wire to be supported between said end plate, spring means resiliently thrusting said bearing plate toward an adjacent end of said spider, and an inatable annulus mounted between said bearing plate and said spider to force the same apart when inflated, this action serving to move said end plates toward each other to place the said coil of wire therebetween under constant endwise compression, the said end plates following length wise alterations of the wire coil as the same is unwound.

References Cited in the lile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 442,309 Diamond et al Dec. 9, 1890 1,291,368 Bass Jan, 14, 1919 1,451,131 Weber Apr. 10, 1923 1,831,848 Doney et al Nov. 17, 1931 2,326,935 Ferguson Aug. 17, 1943 2,649,260 Beneke Aug. 18, 1953 

